LGBTQ Life Made Social – Bringing the Social Element to LGBTQ Life Worldwide

Queer expression is seldomly represented in popular main-stream South African culture. Avant-garde music artists Umlilo and Whyt Lyon (from Stash Crew) have joined forces to break this cultural erasure and inject it with their catchy, homo-erotic dance track – “DL Boi”. The duo have elicited the help of some of Joburg’s fiercest queer talent to create a dance music video extravaganza.

The crowd-funded music video for DL Boi is written, performed and produced by Umilo and Whyt Lyon. Directed by Jono Kay, the video stars renowned international performers and choreographers Llewellyn Lulubelle Mnguni and Henk Opperman. International stylist/designer Caroline Olavarrieta added an eclectic fashion twist to the video with Orli Oh Meiri and Dylosaurus_Rex’s make-up expertise. Shot in a nostalgic 80s/90s ballroom style, the video follows a DL Boi’s pursuit of an enchanting seductress at a queer Ball. DL Boi or down low brother refers to a subculture where a closeted gay man frequents queer spaces in order to meet and hook up with other queers. The cat and mouse game of desire is highlighted through a saucy dance interchange choreographed by Llewellyn Mnguni and Henk Opperman.

“It’s an exploration of the many complexities of being queer in the South Africa and the world. You getting small glimpse of the world we inhabit as queer people in all its wonder, beauty and glory. The reality is it is often difficult for queer people to express themselves in many parts of the world which feeds into a repressive and toxic patriachal world,” said Umlilo and Whyt Lyon. “We sometimes have to hide a real part of ourselves because of lack of acceptance from society and the fear and violence on queer bodies. This video celebrates the beauty of queer bodies, expression of desire and most importantly consent.”

Umlilo and Whyt Lyon (from Stash Crew) are excited to share this collaborative club anthem that fuses live electronic kwaai beats with future pop sensibilities.

Bio:Umlilo and Whyt Lyon (STASH CREW) are two South African afro-future gender and genre-bending avant-garde acts that came together for a queer-galactic collaboration two years ago. They fuse live electronic future kwaai music with political insight, hip hop, kwaito, dance and queer pop sensibilities. The two groundbreaking acts have completed successful tours in Europe, South America, Cape Town and Johannesburg South Africa in 2017. In 2017 they performed with US hip-hop superstar Mykki Blanco as part of ID Magazine‘s documentary about queer artists in Johannesburg. The documentary is titled Out of This World.